Our Family
by lovely44
Summary: Romitri; Life after the Last Sacrifice. Rose struggles with not being able to raise kids with Dimitri.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hi everyone! I'm really new to this and I hope you like my stories. Please review and let me know what you think so I can improve! Thanks guys! I do not own Vampire Academy or any of the characters.**

I lay awake, trying not to move. I knew there would be so many more precious moments like this but I wanted to savor every one of them. If there's anything I've learned, it's that you can lose the ones you love at any second. Dimitri's chest rose and fell as I stroked his hair. He looked so peaceful and I took this chance to study every inch of him. I didn't know anyone could be that beautiful. Of course I appreciated Ambrose's golden skin and beautiful eyes, but this was something completely different. I loved every single thing about him. Everything he hated about himself, I loved even more. I loved his stupid leather dusters and the slight Russian accent that showed up the most when he said my name. I closed my eyes and listened to his breathing. It was slow and barely audible. It started to quicken all the sudden, and I opened my eyes in worry. I saw him under the covers sleeping soundly, and I sighed a breath of relief. His eyes fluttered open. "Roza? How long have you been awake?" He asked. "Not long, I was just watching you sleep." He smiled a lovely, bright smile. One that could make anyone instantly beam back. We got out of bed and prepared for the day. I dressed in my typical guardian outfit while Dimitri made me scalding hot, black coffee, exactly the way I like it. Mornings are always going to be like this, I realized. Getting out of bed together and getting ready to protect Lissa and Christian. I thought about adorable, little Dimitris running around Court. They would have tiny dusters and carry around old, western novels. I quickly took back the thought. We can't be parents and guardians at the same time. It was practically impossible. The only way I was getting mini Dimitris was if I became a blood whore. I flinched. I hated that word, especially since so many Dhampir categorized as blood whores, didn't even let Moroi suck their blood. Even so, protecting Lissa is my duty. I wasn't going to be some housewife that did the laundry while Dimitri fought Strigoi. I may not want to be a typical blood whore, but the thought of having children has always made me cheerful. But that was the downside of being a guardian. I knew I shouldn't even think about kids. It just makes me gloomy and shifts my thoughts away from protecting Lissa. I brought my thinking back to the present. Dimitri was glancing at me. I must've looked deep in thought. "Are you alright?" He asked, his deep brown eyes glistening in the light. I nodded and looked up at him and all his beauty. He leaned down as his soft, brown hair fell around the sides of his face. I closed my eyes and brought him closer, closing the gap between us. His lips were warm and like a ray of sunshine. It reminded me of that kissed we shared right before Mason appeared and the Strigoi attacked St. Vladmir's. That kiss was so hopeful and so was this one. It brought hope for our future together. We have each other. We don't need kids, I thought, as I tried to reassure myself. I wrapped my arms around his neck. I could stay here forever. I pulled away, knowing that I needed to get to the main room of the palace, where Lissa was awaiting. "We have to get to Lissa and Christian," I said softly. He nodded. "Just one second longer," He said and kissed me again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! Thanks for the feedback! I hope you like this chapter and please keep critiquing! Sorry it took a while to update, I've been really busy.**

"Serena, can you get Ambrose? Let him know I need him to review my speech." Lissa requested, Serena nodding and exiting the room. I groaned and put my hand on my forehead to check the temperature. Lissa looked over at me in concern.  
"What's wrong?" she asked.  
"I'm not sure. I've had this dull, throbbing pain in my head for a couple days now."  
"We should get you over to the doctor."  
I rolled my eyes at this. She knows how much I despise going to the doctor. It brings back all the memories of recovery from getting shot. The searing pain in my chest was unbearable enough without the irritating daily checkups. She sighs, knowing that she won't get further on the subject.

I gaze around the room, making sure all the corners are checked. It's hard being Lissa's guardian because I easily get distracted around her and the number one rule for guardians is: always be on alert. Well aside from _they come first._ Suddenly, Christian bursts through the wide double doors, a wide grin plastered on his face, with someone close behind. I stiffen, getting ready to pull my stake out, but quickly relax once I realize who it is. Dimitri gives me a quick smile, and I wink back at him. I turn to Christian, wondering why he's looking so buoyant.  
"Liss, you kind of, um, have to leave the room."  
"What?" Lissa and I both exclaimed, wondering what it could be that she couldn't hear. She looked disappointed, she was obviously hoping for some interesting news.  
"Fine." She rolled her eyes. "But Rose has to be with me remember?"  
"Dimitri will keep you company."  
"Okay whatever," she said, sounding like an annoyed teenager.

"So what's up?" I asked once they exited.  
"Well, as I'm sure you know, Lissa's birthday is in a few weeks. I think we should plan something for her. Nothing extravagant. Especially not where she would have to hang out with the other snobby royals. Just something intimate, we could take a little trip."

"That sounds perfect. But I think you're forgetting something. We can't leave the court grounds, other than to go to Leigh."

"Since when were you the sensible one? Plus, I checked with Hans and he said it would be okay as long as we have extra guardians and we only go away for the night."

I beamed. "Wow Christian. That's amazing!

He grinned, a look of pride on his face. I rolled my eyes. So full of himself that one. We called Dimitri and Lissa back in and Lissa did not look happy

"I hope you guys weren't talking bad about me behind my back!"  
"Only good things about you, Liss" Christian said and bent down to kiss her. She closed her eyes and leaned into him.  
"Get a room," I called after about a minute of kissing. They laughed and Lissa flushed with pink.

My head still throbbed and I rubbed my temple. I would probably have to go to the doctor after all.

Once I told Lissa I should probably go to the doctor, she grew more concerned. She knew I wouldn't request the doctor unless I was in a lot of pain. And that I was. I've obviously felt worse after fighting Strigoi and especially after a bullet to the heart, but this was pretty painful.  
The doctor came to the royal room to examine me. Lissa paced anxiously in the corner.

"Liss, calm down, it's probably just a migraine." She nodded but the look of worry stayed on her face. The doctor stood up when he was done.  
"Well, you're healthy. I think you were right about it being a migraine. I'll just leave you with these two Advil and you should be better in a couple of hours." Lissa exhaled. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Lissa and I said in unison.

"Well. Um. When was your last period?" The color drained from my face as I realized what he was suggesting. I thought back to when my last torturous, moody days were. No. This can't be possible.

"5 weeks ago," I said softly, not believing it. Lissa's jaw dropped to the floor and her eyes bugged out.

"Don't worry. You still haven't taken a test yet," He said, reaching into his coat pocket, and handing me a box. I nodded and left with Lissa to go to the bathroom. She waited outside the door wordlessly. She was still in shock. So was I. I opened the box, and peed on the stick. I closed my eyes, too scared to look. What showed up on this tiny screen would determine my entire future. I forced my eyes open and glanced down. On that stick, there was one mark. A sign that would change my life. Right there, in front of me, was a tiny plus sign.


	3. Chapter 3

I gaped at the stick for what must've been 10 minutes and only looked up when Lissa knocked on the bathroom door.  
"Are you okay, Rose?" She said softly. I was too in shock to say anything. When I didn't respond, she opened the door. She didn't have to look at the stick to know what the results were. The look on my face said it all. After washing my hands I practically leapt onto Lissa as she wrapped her arms around me, enveloping me in her embrace.  
"Shhh," she whispered into my ear. "It's gonna be alright Rose. We're going to figure this out together." I closed my eyes, trying to grasp at what I was feeling. This changes everything. No more protecting Lissa. No more fighting Strigoi. No more childish stunts. I had to grow up, and fast. So much raced through my head. I don't want this. But at the same time I do. I want to see a boy or girl growing up to look like Dimitri and I, I want the satisfaction of seeing their first steps. I want the feeling of pride swelling through me as they take down their first Strigoi. But all that came at a price that I wasn't sure I wanted to pay. I certainly wouldn't drop them off at an academy like my mom did to me. Sure we made amends, but she caused me so much pain. Of course they'll go to an academy, but I don't want the academy to raise them. I want them to be able to come home for Christmas dinner and summer vacation like I never was. These thoughts came spiraling down on me all at once. I realized I was thinking too far ahead. Right now, I needed to deal with the present. Lissa let me go, and only then did I realized my face was streaked with tears. Hers was too, and the perfectly applied mascara was now smudged and wet.  
"Rose. You know I love you no matter what, right?  
"I do Liss. Thank you for comforting me. I think I need to tell Dimitri now." She nodded. We walked with our fingers laced together, ready to face whatever came next.

Lissa must have told Dimitri it was an emergency, because Dimitri came sprinting in, less than five minutes later. His face was creased with worry, and he relaxed a bit once he saw that I was safe. Then, the tears started streaming down my face again. He ran up to me, cupping one hand around my cheek, and using the other to brush my tears away.  
"Roza what's wrong?" His voice was so concerned.  
"Dimitri, I...I...I'm pregnant." I choked out the words, so scared of what he would say. He froze for a moment and I could feel his muscles tense. Taking a deep breath, he sat down on the bench next to us, pulling me on top of his lap. He must've been processing the words, but then a minute later, he whispered in my ear.  
"We're going to be okay, Roza. I love you, we're going to be okay." He kept repeating those sentences, soothing me and calming me down. He stroked my hair and pulled me closer.  
"You..you're not upset?" I stuttered.  
"No, of course not! I know kids aren't a possibility, but I've thought about them a lot. We're doing this together. I'm never leaving your side, my Roza." Some of the dread inside me faded. Even though I knew Dimitri would never get mad, I was still worried about what he would say. Now there were more people for me to panic about. What is my mom going to think? What about Abe? He'll probably rip Dimitri's head off! I couldn't deal with this now though. I just needed to be with Dimitri and let him comfort me.

My mind raced and weighed my two options. I could give up life as a guardian to become a stay at home mom. Doing this would let me raise my child, and be with Dimitri. It sounded perfect, although it certainly wasn't. My whole life I would be bored, dying to get in on the action. Dimitri would come home from work that day, telling stories, and I wouldn't be able to hide my jealousy. My full attention wouldn't be on my kid, it would be on what I can't do. On the other hand, I could continue my everyday life, and send my kid to be raised by the academy. They wouldn't be coming home for Christmas, because I would be too busy guarding Lissa to watch them. I could take some time off when they came home, but I knew that wasn't an option. Even for just a short amount of time, summer break for example, my thoughts would still be completely on protecting Lissa. Interrupting my thoughts, Lissa piped in.

"Have you thought about giving the baby up for adoption?" I shook my head.

"It would still mean them resenting their biological mother and father for never caring for them. They would never understand until they grew up and became a guardian themselves. Also, I want to be able to know my child." Lissa nodded.

"It's still probably our best option." I nodded back in agreement.

"Don't worry, Roza. We have time." Dimitri added in a reassuring voice. We did have time. 9 months to be exact. I'm just not sure if that's enough time for me to make up my mind.


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up the next morning, forgetting for a split second, the events that had just occurred. I looked down at my stomach. It was so amazing to think that a baby was being created in there. Dimitri walked over to the bed and sat down next to me. He planted a soft kiss on my forehead.  
"Dimitri, what are we going to do?"

"You know I'll support you every step of the way. You don't have to choose a life without a child just because you feel that you owe it to Lissa."

"You and I both know that Lissa wouldn't be the only reason for that choice. I need a life fighting Strigoi. It's what I've been trained for."

"I know, Roza." He replied. I sighed, pulling off the heavy blanket and stepping out of bed. Lissa would never want me to stay with her if it meant I would have to give up being a mother. I wish there was some way for me to protect my best friend and raise my son or daughter at the same time. I had to go and tell my parents. But first, I wanted to check on Mikkail and Sonya. I hadn't seen them in a while, but I overheard them two days ago talking in hushed voices. I let Dimitri know that I would be right back, and set off to their house. It wasn't far from the royal room. Lissa had wanted them close, and this way Sonya could help her with spirit.

I was walking up to their door, when Mikkail walked out, ready to leave for work. He had a weary look on his face, and his eyes were red and puffy as if he had been crying all night. When he saw me, he smiled. I could tell it was forced, but I didn't want to say anything.

"Rose! What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to check up on you guys. Is Sonya home?" He nodded and led me inside.

"I don't want you to be late for work, I just hadn't seen you in so long." I said.

"Don't worry Rose. I'm sure the boss won't mind if I'm a little late. Sonya isn't doing so well, but she'll be happy to see you." I grew with concern, wondering what could have happened. It couldn't have been spirit, because Lissa had just made her a charm that seemed to be working well. Mikkail opened up the door of Sonya's room. My eyes widened as I took her in. Her hair was tangled up in knots, and her eyes were even more puffy than Mikkail's. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, and her bed was messy, with the comforter thrown on the floor in a heap. Tissues scattered the cream colored sheets along with a couple papers. I recognized the papers as the ones from the Court doctor, with the same signature at the top right corner. I couldn't get a good enough look to see what else was written.

"Rose." She said, her voice barely a whisper. I rushed to her side to see what had happened.

"Sonya, what's wrong?" She handed me the papers that I had noticed earlier. My eyes scanned the words. My heart dropped to my stomach.

"Oh Sonya. I'm so so sorry. I know how much you wanted kids." Ever since she was turned back to a Moroi, Sonya and Mikkail had been trying for a child. I always thought they would make amazing parents. Now that I read the paper, I knew why they both looked so grief stricken lately. She was incapable of having children. I hugged her, as she stifled a sob into my shoulder. I didn't know what to say. Here she was, crying in bed, because she would never be a mom, while just yesterday, I found out that I was pregnant. Our situations were so different, yet I understood what she was feeling. Both of us thought we knew something. She thought she knew she would raise a child and I thought I knew I would always be a guardian. I released her from the hug and looked up at Mikkail. I knew he was doing his best to comfort Sonya, but he himself was also in a lot of pain.

"Sonya, are you sure that you want me to go to work?" Mikkail asked.

"Yes dear. I think I'll be okay." Sonya replied. Mikkail looked conflicted, not wanting to leave his wife.

"It's okay Mikkail. I'll stay with her." I said. He gave me a grateful smile.

"Thank you. Sonya, I'll try to be home early." She nodded as Mikkail left the room. I laid down next to her, not saying anything, but not needing to. We were there together, silent, just thinking, for about 30 minutes. Then I said my goodbyes, still needing to talk to my mother and father. I felt bad leaving her alone with her thoughts, but she said she would be okay.

I found my mother and father in the cafeteria, eating lunch. They've been spending a lot of time together lately, making me wonder if they'd fallen back in love. He may have been crazy, but he looked at her as if she was his whole universe. She laughed about something he said like some lovesick teenager. They quieted when they saw me, and my mother gestured for me to sit with them. I plopped down in the seat across from them, getting ready to spit out the news. I decided to do it fast and quick to get it over with. I quickly told them that I was pregnant and anxiously waited for their response. Abe, being a Moroi didn't understand the problem with this. He did look a little protective, and as if he would punch Dimitri. Other than that, he was excited to be a grandfather. My mother on the other hand, understood. She got up and sat next to me. She wrapped me in a rare hug, probably about one of three that I've gotten from her. No one knew more than my mother about what I was going through. My father looked confused, but then quickly caught up. He realized that being a mother was never part of my plans. He too, got up and sat to my right. I felt so comforted in that moment, knowing that I had people on my side, with me no matter what happened.


	5. Chapter 5

I sat on a cold, stone bench next to Lissa. The winter air was just starting to roll through, but the sun never ceased to beat down on us. The sky couldn't get any bluer, with a few feathery clouds brushing the atmosphere. Lissa looked deep in thought, staring into space with a blank expression.

"What are you thinking about, Liss?"  
"Not much."

"Are you sure?" She took a deep breath.

"I love you so much. You've always been behind me in all of my decisions. I really hope you know that I'm behind you too. The last thing in the world I want is for you to feel obligated to give up motherhood. I know that you want to protect me, but I definitely don't want you making any decisions based on me. You'll always be my dhampir Rose. No matter what."

"Liss, of course I know that! I love you too. Of course I want to be your guardian, but don't worry. Whatever decision I make, will be because it's the decision that's right for me." A look of relief swept over her face. I could tell she'd been worried about this for a while now. She leaned in closer and put her arm around me. A cool breeze swept through, cooling us off.

Moments later, we spotted Jill sprinting towards us, flustered and red as she spoke, taking deep breaths between each word.

"Rose! Lissa! You are needed immediately at the royal room." Lissa's brow creased in confusion, and she eyed Jill suspiciously.

"Jill. Tell me what's going on."

"Sorry, can't. Christian's orders." Jill said, smirking mischievously. We were led to the royal room, where we have been spending most of our time since Lissa was elected queen. When we arrived, we were met with Christian, Dimitri, Serena, Ambrose, and several stoic looking guardians. Now it was my turn to be confused. What was going on? Then, it hit me. Lissa's birthday surprise! Her birthday wasn't for another week, so I was still quite befuzzled. I walked over to Christian and leaned in to whisper.

"Isn't her birthday in a week? And I thought I was going to help and plan this!" I said, a little hurt I wasn't asked to plan my best friend's surprise party.

"I figured you were too busy. And yes, her birthday isn't until next Saturday, but Hans thought it would be better today, with next week being the royal bash thrown every year for the queen." I nodded. Now Lissa looked angry.

"What are you guys not telling me?" She demanded.

"Trust me, you'll like it." Mia said, announcing her presence. I must've not noticed her when I walked in. We all walked out to the parking garage of the court, a black limo greeting us. I grinned from ear to ear. Christian had done everything just right. Lissa grew anxious, but I could sense some excitement radiating off of her. She knew it must be something good if we were riding in style. It was about a 4 hour drive to where we were going. Christian wouldn't even tell me where it was, but I could tell we were heading out of state. I was wondering how much longer until we got there, when I saw the sign. New York! I had never been there and neither had Lissa which was weird considering how close it was to Court. Lissa and I had thought about going when we were off and away from the academy, but thought better of it, because of its high level of strigoi. I'm surprised Hans approved of this trip. He must've only done so after lots of begging from Christian. I wasn't worried though. We had plenty of guardians, so we would be fine. When her eyes caught sight of the sign, Lissa perked up from her seat and squealed. "Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed. "New York City! What did I do to deserve such an amazing boyfriend?" Christian beamed back at her from the front seat.

"I was thinking the same thing about you." A gooey, lovey look passed between them and I chuckled, rolling my eyes at their cheesiness.

"But seriously Christian, what's the occasion?"

"I know it's early, but it is someone specials's birthday next week!" She gasped, not being able to contain her excitement. I smiled at her, getting ready to party tonight. It was going to be a lot of fun. All my favorite people.

As we passed the bridge, I finally got a good view of the actual city. It took my breath away. I gaped at the skyscrapers, not able to believe where I was. This was the greatest city in the world. The air buzzed with electricity, everyone here caught up in their own lives. It was so busy, and there was a constant hum of noise, whether it be sirens or music. This was my kind of city I thought, as I sighed contently. We pulled over at a club, that looked as alive as ever. As we emerged into the party, I saw people dancing everywhere, pumping their fists and jumping up and down. The electronic music that the DJ was currently playing pulsed through my veins. Lissa looked at me excitedly, a gleam in her eyes. She grasped my hand and squeezed as we made our way through the crowd. I knew we were safe, even though it was nighttime. Strigoi wouldn't attack with this many people and this many guardians. Of course I still had to keep my eye out for anything mysterious. Lissa and Christian left to go get a drink followed by a couple guardians for safety. I hung back with Dimitri and some of the others, knowing the last thing I could have right now was a drink. As stiff as Dimitri was, I had to get him to dance tonight. I took hold of his hand, leading him toward the dance floor. It was too loud for words, but he gave me a reluctant look. I just smirked back, excited to see him dancing. There was little room for us on the dance floor, but we squeezed through the mass of people. I grabbed his other hand, and jumped up and down to the beat of the music. He laughed, and spun me around.

"Show me your moves, Comrade," I shouted over the music. He jumped up and down awkwardly with me, causing me to burst out in laughter. He rolled his eyes at my mockery, but continued his awkward dancing. He looked so adorable in that moment, and I couldn't help but reach up and peck him on the lips. He smiled and spun me once again. Sweat trickled down my brow, due to the thick air filling the room. After a few more minutes of dancing, Dimitri and I were joined by Lissa, Christian, and Mia. Together we all laughed and danced, forgetting about all of our worries. 


	6. Chapter 6

It was a week after Lissa's big royal bash. It sounded like a lot of fun, but in reality, it consisted of Dimitri and I conversing with people I prefer not to associate myself with. I survived the night by sneaking away to the bathroom at every possible moment. I was just pleased we were able to have a real celebration the week before.

I was starting to feel the real effects of pregnancy. About a week ago, Dimitri had left a copy of 'What to Expect When You're Expecting' on the pillow next to me when I woke up. Apparently, nothing can prepare you for morning sickness. I despised throwing up as a rule. The thought of having no control and needing someone to hold your hair back, made me want to throw up in the first place. I would be in the middle of a conversation with Lissa, and all the sudden, I would have to go sprinting to the toilet. Not only that, but I was constantly given questioning looks and even though the dhampirs and Moroi don't think I can, I can hear the whispers, typically consisting of the words _bloodwhore_ and _slut._ Word did spread fast around Court. It wasn't like I wasn't accustomed to being the center of attention and the topic in all the gossip. I was used to it. But this? This is something private. Between Dimitri and I.

Today was an average day. I went through the motions, pouring myself a cup of coffee in a styrofoam to-go cup and leaving to the royal room, in hopes of Lissa being there and not at a Council meeting. Dimitri had to wake up early, because Christian had an early morning feeding today. Gross. If I could take one thing away from the whole vampire thing we have going on here, I would stop the Moroi's reliance on blood. Well, after stopping the whole species of Strigoi, of course.

The excitement of the anticipated snow brought a smile to my face. We still had a few weeks until it snowed, but it still brought back many memories. I remember this one snow day at the academy. Of course it was nighttime, but I didn't care about the darkness. I was so ecstatic to have no school.

 _The wind was whipping our hair into our faces, and the bitterness in the air caused my lips to crack. It was about one year before the accident. I scooped up a pile of snow in my rosy pink gloves, and molded it into a perfect circle. Panic crossed Lissa's face as she realized what I had in store for her._

" _Oh no you don't-" She was in the middle of a sentence right when I hurled the ball directly towards her face. She stood frozen, as the ball came tumbling towards her and finally came in contact with her nose. She yelped and ran a hand over her face to wipe the snow off, which didn't help, considering her gloves were already snowy. This action caused us both to double over in laughter, so hysterical we fell to the ground. My stomach was aching, but the good kind you always get when you're laughing with your best friend. Andre walked in during our hysterics, and gave us an amused look. Lissa composed herself enough to realize she wanted payback apparently, because a few seconds later, a white, fluffy ball of snow came hurtling towards me. Her aim was quite impressive, especially since I was moving around from the laughter. It hit me right in the stomach, and I eyed her with a mischievous look, letting her know it was war._

" _It's on!" She yelled at me, while preparing her next attack against me. Andre also joined in on the fun, pelting two snowballs at once, at Lissa and I._

My trip down memory lane came to an abrupt stop when I crashed into someone. I mumbled sorry and looked up. Mia was standing in front of me, with a black beanie and a burgundy peacoat. I admired her outfit and waved hello.

"Hey Rose!" She said cheerfully, giving me a quick embrace.

"Hey Rinaldi. How are you? We haven't been able to spend any time together lately."

"I know! You, Lissa, and I should all go out to dinner together. Just the girls."

"That sounds perfect. I'll let her know." She grinned. A moment of silence passed between us.

"Alright, I wish I could chat longer, but I promised Jill I would help her with magic fighting."

"It's okay, I have to go see if Lissa is in the royal room or not. See you later!"

I headed through the crisp air and took a few sips of my coffee. I sighed and lifted my head to enjoy the chilly weather. I wish it was with a combination of sun, but I could deal with the lack of it.

Once reaching the room where I could hopefully find Lissa, I pushed through the double doors. The glossy marble floors greeted me, accompanied by Dimitri and Christian.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"We're waiting for Lissa. She's at a meeting and I wanted to see her before the big trial." My heart fell to the pit of my stomach. I couldn't believe this. I forgot about Tasha Ozera's trial. My mouth was wide open.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Christian said when I didn't speak. I gave a weak nod and he half smiled.

"I'm sure Lissa will forgive you. Don't worry."

"Christian, I'm so sorry. This must be so hard for you." I get that she's a murderer, but that doesn't mean Christian has to forget she was practically his mother. This was the woman that put him to bed every night, and told him it was okay when his mother and father were hunted and killed.

"It's okay. I hate saying this, but I miss her. Not the woman who killed Tatiana, but my Aunt Tasha."

"I understand." I almost brought up that I felt the same way when Dimitri turned Strigoi, but thought better of it because Dimitri was standing right there and that was obviously still a fragile subject for him that we didn't bring up.

At that moment, Lissa bursted in, a look of distress on her face and I didn't blame her. This was her first big act as queen, and it was about condemning someone who had once been a close friend of ours. We used to hold so much respect for her.

I walked up to Lissa and wrapped my arms around her torso and she wrapped hers around my neck. She probably knew I forgot, since I didn't mention it earlier, but she didn't comment on that. Dimitri and Christian wished her luck and I followed behind her to the courtroom. Christian wasn't coming, it was too painful for him.

We walked in silence to the courtroom, and Lissa's fear hung in the air. I gave her another hug once we got there, and she left for the queen's place and I to the audience. Tasha casually strolled in, like she had better things to do and I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. I hadn't seen her since I was shot. It was too much to bear. She looked so smug now, so unlike the Tasha I used to know. She kept her eyes locked on Lissa and didn't look in my direction once.

The rest of the trial went by slowly. The evidence was presented and the Council had to vote. Unsurprisingly, she was proven guilty. Even though I knew that was how the vote would turn out, I still breathed a sigh of relief when the vote was unanimous.

Lissa walked over to me once the trial was settled and Tasha was led away. Her execution was scheduled for two weeks. Until then, she would be locked up in a maximum security Moroi prison, the same Victor Dashkov was in. The same we broke into. Lissa smiled sadly, and I could tell she felt guilty, even though she knew this was what Tasha deserved. She had so much compassion in her heart and that was just one of her many traits that made me love her.

"You did great." I gave her a reassuring nod.

"I just can't believe this is the same Tasha that I met ice skating in a frozen over pond."

"I know."

Lissa and I walked back over in silence to the royal room, preparing to inform Dimitri and Christian of the outcome of the trial.


End file.
